32 Get Help!

I sit in silence, unable to process the reality that Gryphon has actually watched himself kill me in my first life. My heart pounds in my chest as flashes of memory assault me—my chest pierced through, my blood pouring out onto the cold basement floor.

I'm numb and disconnected, even with Gryphon's arms still wrapped around me. How can he hold me so tenderly after witnessing himself murder me? Bile rises in my throat as I recall the utter dismissal on the faces of those "players" who ended my existence without a second thought.

"Aria?" Gryphon's voice is a distant murmur, but the concern in his tone cuts through the fog of memory. I flinch involuntarily. "I'm sorry. I had no idea…"

His words are heavy with guilt. Of course I want to rage at him, to take the opportunity to demand to know what he was thinking. But there's no point. I already know; I've been in this game long enough. Quest, objective, NPC. There's no hard feelings there.

Still, I can't find the words to soothe him. I can't even begin to untangle the knot of anger, fear, and confusion inside of me.

The System Administrator is saying things again, but I ignore all the windows that appear. I'm too shocked. Too overwhelmed. This quest has become more than an annoyance; it's like a twisted mirror reflecting the shattered remnants of the life I knew.

Gryphon shifts behind me. I can't help tensing, bracing for…. what? An attack? An explanation? His fingers trail along my arm, and goosebumps explode in their wake. "I don't know what to say," he murmurs. "Seeing it like that, knowing what I..." He exhales heavily.

I say nothing.

"I can't change the past, Aria. But I want to understand. I need to know why you're here, in this world. What happened?"

His questions hang in the air.

I have no words. How can I even begin to explain the emotions raging inside me when I can't even make sense of them myself? So I lie.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Aria—"

I struggle out of his embrace, and for once, he lets me go. I stand and brush debris from my clothes. "I don't know why you're taking this quest so seriously. Lighten up, Gryphon. Let's get out before your mind is even more messed up from this place." I keep my tone deliberately light, and avoid eye contact.

Gryphon sighs. "Aria, my first vision is real."

My hands twitch. "No, it isn't."

"My wife died three years ago. But she's not dead, is she?"

I groan. All of his behavior is starting to make sense. "Gryphon, I'm not your dead wife. I'm just me. You're reading way too much into these quests."

"The second vision is real, too," he continues, pushing himself to his feet beside me. "I remember. I did kill an NPC during a main story quest. We were excited, thinking we had found the clues we needed. I killed you, and we received rewards. But then I gained an achievement at the end of the dungeon."

He's coming closer, so I step away. He doesn't stop, and I don't, either. "Gryphon—"

A window pops up in front of me, and I realize he's shared an achievement.

"I was surprised to see someone with her face, but it wasn't her," he muses, raising his hand to touch my cheek. I flinch away, and for once, he doesn't follow.

I look at the window in trepidation.

[Achievement: Broken Fate (SPECIAL)

Description: Shame on you, Player! You have tragically altered the course of destiny by committing an act of heinous betrayal. Overwhelmed by greed, you've extinguished a cherished life for fleeting gains. This cursed act binds you to a fate of remorse and repentance. Until the day you earn forgiveness from your beloved in her next life, your own story remains inescapably broken.

Penalty: Inability to participate in Main Story Quests.

Remember, in this world, actions resonate far beyond the present moment.]

"The system is just messaging with you," I say, because what else is there to say?

If I admit that he murdered me, then he will think I'm the same person in his first vision. But I'm not. And even when there's a huge part of me that's thrilled he's so miserable, that I'm not the only one suffering through those memories, there's another part that hurts for him.

I'm not stupid. After living here for a while, I've come to understand that this game is not reality for players. I know there was no ill will when he killed me. But I can't let go of my need for revenge, because if I do, I'm going to need to find another purpose in this life.

"Unfortunately, you're just putting way too much thought into these things." I walk over to the dais and the rubble of the broken statue that had once stood there. "Why don't we figure out how to fix this, complete the quest, and leave this place? I need a break, and you do, too."

Gryphon follows me, reaching out a hand to rest it on top of my head for a second. "I'll wait until you're ready to talk about it," he says, affection warming his words. "I told you before, I'll grovel for the rest of my life if I have to."

I take a deep breath, cursing the Administrator in my head for dragging us into this sick game. "It isn't real, Gryphon. You're sick. You're turning this game into your reality. You're grieving your wife and looking everywhere for a hint of her, that's all. How does it make sense for a dead person to be in this game?" I pat my chest. "I'm me. I'm not her. You have to stop this obsession."

"I thought that, too," Gryphon murmurs, stroking my head gently, but letting his hand fall when I step away. "I'm not that crazy. I had myself convinced that someone had dug into my past and used it to…" His words trail off. "But when I realized it was you, everything made sense. It doesn't matter how crazy it is, it has to be you. You're connected to the Main Story Quests, right? From the blacksmith. The quest said you would have another life. You look exactly the same. And—" his lips quirk. "You feel the same. In my arms. On my lips. In every reaction you have. It's you."

The rubble beside us suddenly begins to shake, before shooting through the air until the statue is once again assembled. Only it looks different. Before, it was a bestial thing of horror; now, it's a gentle-faced youth. The horns are still there, though.

[Quest Complete!

The god of fate is praying for you both.

Rewards:

Freedom]

[The System Administrator wipes away tears.]

[You will be transported in 30 seconds.]

I'm relieved. I need space away from this man. I need time to process everything that's happened.

"Gryphon." I wait until his eyes meet mine. "You're crazy. You need help. No, don't come near." I hold up my hand and step back.

[You will be transported in 25 seconds.]

"You haven't stopped to think about how I feel during any of this. You said you'll grovel for the rest of your life, right? Start now. Don't touch me anymore. I mean it."

I watch Gryphon's crestfallen face, my heart twisting with an unexpected pang of guilt. For a moment, I see a glimpse of the man behind the intensity—the pain and longing etched into his features. But just as quickly, I harden my resolve.

[You will be transported in 20 seconds.]

"Gryphon, you need to understand that I'm not her. I'm not your wife, I'm my own person, with my own goals and desires." I take a deep breath, steadying my nerves. "This obsession of yours is unhealthy. You can't keep projecting your grief onto me."

[You will be transported in 15 seconds.]

His brow furrows, and I can see the denial warring within him. "This connection, the way you feel—it's undeniable. I know it."

I shake my head. "You're desperate to reconnect to someone you lost. You're wrong. I'm not her. Until you recognize that, you need to stay away from me. Don't touch me."

[You will be transported in 10 seconds.]

"You're seeing what you want to see, not the reality in front of you."

His expression crumbles, the mask of confidence and certainty shattering. In that moment, he looks so lost that I have to fight the urge to reach out and comfort him. But I can't. I won't.

[You will be transported in 5 seconds.]

The countdown continues, the seconds ticking away. I steel myself, knowing I need to be firm. "System Administrator, please teleport Gryphon to a location far away from me."

Gryphon's eyes widen and he reaches for me, but I slap his hand away.

[The System Administrator reminds you that your quest needs you two to be together.]

[The System Administrator sighs.]

[The System Administrator understands.]

[Administrator has interfered. Synchronization error for player, Gryphon Vale, and player, Aria Lucaris.]

[Administrator is overriding the system.]

[Synchronization in progress.]